Ag land preservation group to proceed with ballot measure

Lind said that citizens group members have high hopes for the
signature-gathering process, noting they collected roughly 2,000
signatures last year when they informally asked people whether they
would support efforts to preserve the area.

If the group gets the required signatures, and those signatures
are authenticated by the county elections office, the issue will go
to the Carlsbad City Council, city officials said. The council can
vote to put the measure on the ballot or it can directly approve
the issue, the city clerk said.

If the group collects signatures of 15 percent of the city's
registered voters, it could force the issue as a special election
-- if there's only 10 percent, then it will go on the general
election ballot, Wood said.

The 180-day signature-collection period will end in early July,
and the next general election would be in November.